| Chulsin sŏngbun | |
 Diagram of the Songbun system as described by HRNK[a] | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 출신성분 |
| Hancha | 出身成分 |
| Revised Romanization | chulsin-seongbun |
| McCune–Reischauer | ch'ulsin-sŏngbun |
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| Human rights in North Korea |
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Songbun (Korean: 성분; MR: sŏngbun), formally chulsin-songbun (Korean: 출신성분; MR: ch'ulsin sŏngbun, from Sino-Korean 出身, "origin" and 成分, "constituent"), is the system of ascribed status used in North Korea. According to the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the American Enterprise Institute, it is based on the political, social, and economic background of one's direct ancestors as well as the behavior of their relatives, songbun is used to classify North Korean citizens into three primary castes—core, wavering, and hostile—in addition to approximately fifty sub-classifications, and determine whether an individual is trusted with responsibilities, is given opportunities within North Korea,[1] or even receives adequate food.[2] The U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the American Enterprise Institute states that Songbun affects access to educational and employment opportunities and it particularly determines whether a person is eligible to join North Korea's ruling party, the Workers' Party of Korea.[3][1]
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- ^ a b Matthew McGrath (June 7, 2012). "Marked for Life: Songbun, North Korea's Social Classification System". NK News. Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ Robert Collins (June 6, 2012). Marked for Life: Songbun, North Korea's Social Classification System (PDF). Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.
- ^ Hunter 1999, p. 3–11, 31–33.